He spent most of his professional career with Barcelona in La Liga, and is regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the club's history, having appeared in 535 official games for the club and won 21 major titles, notably six La Liga titles and three UEFA Champions League championships. Valdés also won the Zamora Trophy a record five times. He currently holds the club records as goalkeeper with most appearances in the league and in official competition, breaking Andoni Zubizarreta's records during the 2011–12 season. After leaving Barcelona at the end of his contract in July 2014, he joined Manchester United in January 2015. He played rarely at United, and after a brief loan at Standard Liège, he moved on to Middlesbrough.

Valdés made his full international debut in 2010 and earned 20 international caps. He was part of the Spanish squads which won the 2010 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2012.

Born in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Catalonia, Valdés started his career with FC Barcelona's youth team when he joined from Peña Cinco Copas on 1 July 1992. That September, he moved with his family to Tenerife and had to leave the club, but returned three years later. After returning, he made quick progress through the youth teams.

In the 2003–04 season, he emerged as first-choice goalkeeper, and in the 2004–05 season, he played in almost all of Barcelona's matches, helping Barcelona to their first league title in six years. He also won the Zamora Trophy as the best goalkeeper in Spain that season.

On 17 June 2007, the last round of La Liga, Valdés matched a goalkeeping record held by former Barcelona goalkeeper Andoni Zubizarreta by starting, and never being substituted, in all 38 matches of the La Liga season.[3]

"For me, Valdes is the best in the world. When Barça need calm, he transmits that. He also has great capacity and handling."

Valdés set the Barcelona club record for not conceding a goal in European competition with a clean sheet against Rangers on 7 November 2007, which saw him re-write the Barça record books after not conceding a goal for 466 minutes.[5] Valdés was beaten twice by Olympique Lyonnais captain Juninho Pernambucano through a 45-yard free kick and a late penalty kick at the Stade de Gerland, ending his streak.[6] In the 2006–07 and 2007–08 seasons, however, Barça failed to win a major trophy. On 1 April 2008, Valdés made his 250th appearance for Barcelona.

On 1 May 2013, in a 3–0 Champions League semi-final loss to FC Bayern Munich at Camp Nou, Valdés made his 100th appearance in the competition, becoming the 17th player to do so.[10] Later that month, Valdés announced that he would not renew his Barcelona contract, which was due to expire at the end of the 2013–14 season. He cited the pressure of representing the club and stated that he had declared his wish to leave early enough for the club to find a replacement.[11]

On 23 October 2014, Manchester United offered Valdés the chance to complete his rehabilitation from a knee injury and to work his way back to fitness with the club.[13] He was offered a contract by the club in January 2015,[14] signing an 18-month deal, with the option of a further year on 8 January, as backup for compatriot David de Gea.[15] Valdés played his first match since his knee injury on 26 January, featuring for United's Under-21 team in a 2–1 home win over Liverpool. Before the game, he gave a team talk based on the teachings of his former manager Guardiola.[16] He made his first-team debut on 17 May against Arsenal at Old Trafford, replacing the injured De Gea for the final 16 minutes and conceding an own goal by Tyler Blackett for a 1–1 draw.[17] A week later he made his first start for the team in their last game of the season away to Hull City, keeping a clean sheet in a goalless draw which relegated the opponents.[18]

On 15 July 2015, Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal announced that Valdés had been placed on the transfer list after it was claimed he had refused to play in a reserve game.[19] The following month, he was not given a squad number for the upcoming season.[20] A transfer to Turkey's Beşiktaş fell through as personal terms could not be agreed.[21] Despite subsequently being named in Manchester United's Premier League squad,[22] reports confirmed Valdés was only named to conform to Premier League rules and not being offered a way back.[23][24][25]

On 23 January 2016, Manchester United announced that Valdés would be moving to Belgian club Standard Liège on a six-month loan deal.[26] He made his debut a week later in a 2–0 win at OH Leuven in the Belgian Pro League.[27] On 20 March, Valdés won the 2016 Belgian Cup Final, beating Club Brugge 2–1.[28] His loan spell was cut short on 29 April after the club decided to allow more youth players the opportunity to play in games at the end of the season.[29]

Valdés was born to José Manuel Valdés and Águeda Arribas and has two brothers, Ricardo and Álvaro. He is in a long-term relationship with Colombian model, Yolanda Cardona. The couple have two sons, Dylan and Kai, and a daughter, Vera.[35]